Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab

22 There was(A) a lull of three years(B) without war between Aram and Israel. However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat(C) of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.(D) The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead(E) is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” So(F) he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?” (G)

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”(H) But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”(I)

So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men,(J) and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”

They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”(K)

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore?(L) Let’s ask him.”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him(M) because he never prophesies good about me,(N) but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah,(O) clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor(P) at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Then Zedekiah(Q) son of Chenaanah made iron horns(R) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead(S) and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

Micaiah’s Message of Defeat

13 The messenger(T) who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives,(U) I will say whatever the Lord says to me.”(V)

15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?”

Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. The Lord will hand it over to the king.”

16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

17 So Micaiah said:

I saw all Israel scattered on the hills
like sheep without a shepherd.(W)
And the Lord said,
“They have no master;
let everyone return home in peace.”(X)

18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”

19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne,(Y) and the whole heavenly army(Z) was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ (AA) So one was saying this and another was saying that.

21 “Then a spirit came forward, stood in the Lord’s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 “The Lord asked him, ‘How?’

“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit(AB) in the mouth of all his prophets.’

“Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.(AC) Go and do that.’

23 “You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”

24 Then Zedekiah(AD) son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did[a] the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” (AE)

25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”(AF)

26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,(AG) 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison(AH) and feed him only a little bread and water[b] until I come back safely.’”

28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.”(AI) Then he said, “Listen, all you people!” [c](AJ)

Ahab’s Death

29 Then(AK) the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.(AL) 30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise(AM) myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.(AN)

31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders,(AO) “Do not fight with anyone at all[d] except the king of Israel.”(AP)

32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 But a man drew his bow(AQ) without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,[e] for I am badly wounded!” (AR) 35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,(AS) and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:

Each man to his own city,
and each man to his own land!(AT)

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.(AU) 38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken.(AV)

39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace(AW) he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(AX) 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors,(AY) and his son Ahaziah(AZ) became king in his place.

Judah’s King Jehoshaphat

41 Jehoshaphat(BA) son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa;(BB) he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away;[f] the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.(BC) 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.(BD)

45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.(BE) 46 He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.(BF) 47 There was no king in Edom;(BG) a deputy served as king. 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish(BH) to go to Ophir(BI) for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.(BJ) 49 At that time, Ahaziah(BK) son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David.(BL) His son Jehoram(BM) became king in his place.

Israel’s King Ahaziah

51 Ahaziah(BN) son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria(BO) in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat,(BP) and he reigned over Israel two years. 52 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.(BQ) He walked in the ways of his father,(BR) in the ways of his mother,(BS) and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.(BT) 53 He served Baal and bowed in worship to him.(BU) He angered the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.(BV)

Footnotes

  1. 22:24 Lit “Which way did
  2. 22:27 Lit him on bread of oppression and water of oppression
  3. 22:28 LXX omits Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”
  4. 22:31 Lit with small or with great
  5. 22:34 LXX; MT reads camp
  6. 22:43 LXX, Syr, Vg read he did not remove the high places

22 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.

14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.

22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?

25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:

53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.